Multidimensional Deprivation: Cross-District Insights in West Bengal

Abstract

This study explores the intensity and inequality of multidimensional deprivation (MD)across the districts of West Bengal, a north-eastern state in India. The measure of MD covers the dimensions of Knowledge, Health and Living condition with the respective indicators. We have clustered the districts in accordance with the selected indicators. An attempt has also been taken to gauge the inequality for deprivation indicators and for multidimensional deprivation index (MDI) applying the class of Atkinson measures. This study has used the data published by Directorate of Population Census of India 2011. It is reported that value of MDI ranges from 0.013 to 0.675 across the districts in West Bengal. Purulia is the most deprived district followed by Jalpaiguri, Maldah. On the other hand, Kolkata is the least deprived among the districts preceded by North 24 Parganas, Purba Mendinipur. The cluster analysis reveals that Kolkata is the distinct from the other districts of West Bengal. It is found that Darjeeling district and Jalpaiguri district form two separate clusters. The districts of Dakshin Dinajpur, Murshidabad, Uttar Dinajpur, Maldah, Birbhum, Bankura and Purulia are similar in terms of the indicators of multidimensional deprivation. The districts of West Bengal are, of course, not highly diverse in terms of multidimensional deprivation. However, inequality for MDI is higher than that for HDI of the districts.